The present invention relates to devices having substrates with openings passing through the substrates and conductors in the openings. Some-devices of the invention incorporate non-electronically-functioning components. Examples include micro-electro-mechanical systems (MEMS) and other micro-structure-technology (MST) structures.
Integrated circuit fabrication technology has been used to create micro-electro-mechanical and micro-electro-optical structures. Examples of such structures include relays, micropumps, and optical devices for fingerprint recognition. FIG. 1 illustrates one such structure 120 formed on a semiconductor die (“chip”) 130. The die contains electronic circuitry (not shown) and interconnect lines (not shown) which couple the structure 120 to contact pads 140. The die has been fabricated in a batch process with other such dies on a semiconductor wafer. After the die was separated from the wafer by dicing, bond wires 150 were bonded to the contact pads 140 and lead frame pins 160. Then the lead frame was encapsulated into a ceramic substrate 170, with pins 160 protruding from the substrate. Another substrate 180 was bonded to substrate 170 to protect the die and the structure 120. If the structure 120 is an optical device (e.g. a mirror or an optical sensor), the substrate 180 is made of a suitable transparent material, e.g. glass.
Improved fabrication techniques and structures suitable for such devices are desirable. It is also desirable to increase the mechanical strength of devices with or without non-electrically functioning components.